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Is Black Friday Really the Biggest Shopping Day?

For millions of people all over the United States, Black Friday has become an annual tradition. Black Friday happens on the day after Thanksgiving and is one of the largest shopping days of the year in America, and although it is not officially recognized as a US holiday, many people take the day off.

For millions of Americans it is time to begin holiday shopping the minute Thanksgiving is over, in fact, some are skipping the day of thanks all together in favor of standing in line at their favorite department store for the, “Bargain of the century.”

Coined as Black Friday in the 1960’s, the day after turkey day marks the kick off to holiday shopping season. The, “Black,” in Black Friday symbolizes retail stores going in the black or turning a profit.

These days it is becoming more popular for stores to open the door on Thanksgiving evening, or at midnight giving those hungry shoppers an early start to the festive season, however, not everyone is happy to pull out the credit cards while still enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers.

As SOUTHWEST SUNSHINE explains, there are two camps when it comes to holiday shoppers. The procrastinators and the Black Friday die hard go-getters.

Those who brave the mall on Black Friday are usually subjected to endless drives around the parking lot looking for a space before elbowing their way down the store aisles and having to endure a seamlessly endless line at the checkout. Black Friday fans say that is well worth the hassle as many retail stores actually strip down the prices to help move merchandise. For that main reason, Black Friday is proclaimed as being the busiest day of the year for shopping.

Nevertheless, what about those holiday shoppers who could care less choosing to sleep in instead of waiting in line for Black Friday. Are they the ones that battle the procrastinators choosing to shop on Christmas Eve? Possibly, but even the customers who are finished with their shopping before Halloween will most likely forget someone on their list forcing them to head out for a last minute purchase the day before Christmas.

Black Friday is the day where you expect every store to be packed with shoppers who are searching for the perfect deal, and that is usually the case with about five percent of holiday sales happening on the day after Thanksgiving. In 2014, average shoppers spent an average of $380.00 over the entire Thanksgiving weekend with 51 billion in retail spending.

With that being said, the biggest shopping day of the year still goes to the procrastinators who wait until the Saturday before Christmas. Even with all of those people shopping on Black Friday, the sales do not follow suit. Surveys show that although there are plenty of people, not all will drive home with a trunk full of gifts with a high percentage of those same Black Friday shoppers actually buying items the next day.

If lining up at the crack of dawn, or waiting until the last minute to do your Christmas shopping isn’t your style, shop for affordable gifts for everyone on your list from SOUTHWEST SUNSHINE. Shop now.